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Day Six
Rhys
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First thing the next morning, Rhys and Catrin approached Adam where he sat in front of what had been Moriddig’s wagon, going through a box on his lap. As with every time they’d come to talk to him, he looked at them with a genuine smile of greeting. “You look exhausted! Didn’t you sleep last night either?”
“We did try,” Catrin said.
After Rhys’s conversation with Bedwyr and Math’s with Patrick, they had begun again working their way through the festival participants with intent. The pavilion had been packed with bards, judges, merchants, family members, and hangers-on of every stripe. Most were talking about the same three incidents that concerned Rhys, so it wasn’t difficult to steer any conversation in that direction. He had enlisted every one of his compatriots too—Catrin, Simon, Miles, Hywel, Math, Jehan, and Ralph—for the endeavor.
When Adam made a motion with his head implying he’d had the same problem with the night too, Rhys added, “I’d like to ask you one more time about your movements the morning Moriddig was killed.”
“Again with that? I told you.” Adam rubbed his forehead. “I saw my brother at breakfast and then never again.”
“Because you were in the latrine.”
“Yes.”
“We have since learned that you stayed there a long time,” Rhys said, “and that you weren’t alone.”
For the first time in all their conversations, Adam looked wary. “That is true.” His eyes flicked to Catrin for a moment.
She waved a hand. “I am not offended by the topic, Adam, and we need a few points of clarification. You spoke to Judge Bedwyr in the latrine. He has told us everything.”
Adam’s face paled. “What does that mean?”
“He said you tried to bribe him,” Catrin said, “and when he wouldn’t take the bribe, you told him Hugh had sent you to test him.”
“And since Hugh isn’t here to confirm my story, you think I lied to Bedwyr and really wanted to bribe him?” Adam’s hand went to his throat. “Nothing could be further from the truth!”
“We are not accusing you of anything,” Rhys said.
Adam let out a breath, like he believed him. “I really was doing it for Hugh and for everyone else at the festival. And for Moriddig too, with whom we discussed the idea before his death. He was wary of using Patrick as bait, but in the end we decided we had to use him to make the query credible.”
“You and Hugh discussed this bribery test with Moriddig?” Catrin said.
“Of course. We wouldn’t do something like that on our own; Hugh and Moriddig were nearly as close to each other as I was to my brother.”
The ease with which he was speaking further confirmed to Rhys that they were on the right track. “We have since learned that you cut quite a swath through the judges. What would you have done if any of them had said yes?”
“I would have promised to pay him, and then told Hugh, who would have told you. As the king’s quaestor, you could have arrested him.”
Catrin looked at her husband. “It seems you also have cut quite a swath through the festival.”
Rhys kept his eyes on Adam. “Back in the latrine with Bedwyr, where was your blue hood?”
Adam let out a laugh. “You too? I have had so many comments about that hood. It was a gift from Moriddig last year, in thanks for all I have done for him. But to answer your question, I left it on the breakfast table.”
“You’re wearing it now.” Catrin gestured to Adam’s head. “By the time I met you at Moriddig’s wagon, you had it back.”
“Patrick brought it to me at the rehearsal.”
“So Bedwyr was right that you were in the latrine up until then? How long would you say that was?” Rhys asked.
“Nearly three-quarters of an hour, I expect.” Adam’s eyes went once more to Catrin, though this time there was amusement in them. “Poor Bedwyr. He was quite taken aback that I thought ill of him. I must apologize to him again.”
“And thank him as well,” Catrin said. “It is because he came to Rhys and confessed the incident that we are not arresting you for these murders. It has suddenly been made clear that you are not to blame.”
“You really thought it was me?” Adam smiled as if they couldn’t have been serious. “But if not me, who do you think did it?”
“You’re not going to like the answer, I’m afraid.” Rhys’s expression turned grim. “We can only conclude now that it was your nephew, Patrick.”
